NewKerala.com

Kerala HC Orders NTA to Correct Transgender Scholar's JRF Certificate Name

The Kerala High Court has stepped in to help a transgender PhD scholar get her fellowship funds released. Rithisha Rithu's JRF disbursal was blocked because her certificate showed her old name while her bank account had her current legal name. She's the first transgender woman in Kerala to be admitted to a PhD program. The court ordered the National Testing Agency to fix the certificate within two weeks so she can receive her research funding.

Key Points: Kerala HC Directs NTA to Fix Transgender PhD Scholar Certificate

  • First transgender woman in Kerala to gain PhD admission faces fellowship fund blockage
  • Name mismatch between certificate and bank account halted JRF disbursal
  • Scholar legally changed gender identity and name in January 2023
  • Court intervention resolves confusion between UGC and NTA responsibilities
2 min read

Kerala HC orders NTA to correct transgender PhD scholar's JRF certificate

Kerala High Court orders NTA to correct transgender scholar Rithisha Rithu's JRF certificate to reflect her legally recognized name within two weeks.

"The petitioner's predicament arises from her lawful change of name and gender. It is for the National Testing Agency to carry out the correction. - Justice V.G. Arun"

Kochi, Nov 14

The Kerala High Court on Friday directed the National Testing Agency (NTA) to correct the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) certificate issued to transgender scholar Rithisha Rithu, so that it reflects her legally-recognised, self-identified name. The interim order will remain in force until the NTA completes the correction process within two weeks.

Justice V.G. Arun issued the directive on a petition filed by Rithu, who is the first transgender woman in Kerala to gain admission to a Ph.D. programme.

She approached the court after her JRF disbursal was blocked due to a mismatch between the name on her fellowship certificate and the name in her bank account.

According to the petition, Rithu formally updated her gender identity and name in January 2023, when the District Magistrate issued her a Form 3 certificate under the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019.

In May 2024, she applied for the UGC-NET examination conducted by the NTA.

Since her academic records and Aadhaar had not yet been updated, she submitted her previous name in the application, while registering her gender as transgender/third gender.

She later cleared the exam in December 2024 and qualified for JRF.

After securing admission to a Ph.D. programme in Social Work, she opened a bank account under her self-identified name to receive fellowship funds through the UGC’s Scholarship and Fellowship Management Portal (SFMP).

However, her attempt to link the account was rejected on the grounds of a “beneficiary name mismatch,” preventing the release of her fellowship amount.

The petitioner argued that the denial of JRF funds, her only financial support for research resulted solely from institutional failure to recognise her legally updated identity.

This, she contended, violated her Fundamental Rights under Articles 14, 15 and 21 of the Constitution and Sections 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8 of the Transgender Persons Act.

Her plea sought directions to the UGC, NTA and Canara Bank to immediately rectify the records, release the fellowship, and award Rs. 25,000 as litigation costs.

During the hearing, the Court noted confusion between the UGC and NTA about which agency was responsible for correcting the certificate.

Clarifying the issue, Justice Arun held that the NTA must carry out the correction.

“The petitioner’s predicament arises from her lawful change of name and gender. It is for the National Testing Agency to carry out the correction,” the Court said, issuing the interim order.

- IANS

Share this article:

Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Why should someone have to go to court for such a basic correction? The NTA should have systems in place to handle name changes, especially when supported by legal documents. This is pure bureaucratic laziness.
A
Arjun K
As an academic myself, I know how crucial timely fellowship disbursal is for research scholars. Blocking funds over a name mismatch is unacceptable. Glad the court stepped in quickly.
S
Sarah B
While I support the court's decision, I hope this doesn't set a precedent where every administrative issue requires judicial intervention. Our government agencies need to be more efficient and sensitive.
K
Karthik V
Heartening to see Kerala leading the way in LGBTQ+ rights again. Rithisha's achievement as the first transgender PhD scholar in Kerala is inspiring! Wishing her all the best in her research journey.
M
Michael C
The confusion between UGC and NTA about responsibility is typical of Indian bureaucracy. Clear protocols need to be established so that students don't suffer due to inter-departmental conflicts.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50